Housing statistics quarterly update: March 2022

1. Main points

Note that the latest private-led and all-sector new housebuilding figures contain some estimates for a small number of authorities. Further details are provided in Section 7.

• There were 18,974 all-sector new build homes completed in Scotland in the year to end June 2021. This is an increase of 10% (1,751 homes) on the 17,223 completions in the previous year, in which activity levels were impacted by COVID-19 lockdown measures. However the latest annual figure is below the 21,603 homes completed in the year to end June 2019. Increases in the latest year were seen across private-led completions (12% or 1,495 homes) and local authority completions (83% or 876 homes). Housing association completions however dropped by 17% or 620 homes.
• The number of new build homes started across all sectors also increased in the year to end June 2021. There were 21,686 starts, up 4% (886 homes) on the 20,800 starts in the previous year. However the latest annual figure is below the 23,754 homes started in the year to end June 2019. Private-led starts rose by 29% (3,810 homes) and local authority starts increased by 10% (166 homes). Whilst housing association approvals dropped by 54% (3,090 homes).
• More up-to-date figures published as part of the UK House Price Index show that there have been 11,029 private new build sales transactions in the 12 months to end October 2021. This is an increase of 16% (1,551 transactions) on the 9,478 transactions recorded in the previous year to end October 2020.
• Latest social sector new housebuilding figures to end September 2021 show that in the 12 months to end September 2021, 5,598 homes were completed, an increase of 27% (1,194 homes) on the 4,404 social sector homes completed in the previous year, in which activity levels were affected by COVID-19 lockdown measures. Starts however fell by 29% (2,014 homes) to 4,935 in the year to end September 2021, down from 6,949 in the year to end September 2020.

• Affordable Housing Supply Programme statistics reflect the broader supply of affordable homes for social rent, affordable rent and affordable home ownership, and include off the shelf purchases and rehabilitations as well as new builds.
• A total of 2,159 affordable homes were completed in the latest quarter October to December 2021, bringing the total number of affordable homes completed in the 12 months to end December 2021 to 9,211. This is an increase of 35% (2,412 homes) on the 6,799 affordable homes completed in the previous year, with increases in the number of completions for social rent (by 26% or 1,353 homes), affordable rent (by 103% or 683 homes) and affordable home ownership (by 42% or 376 homes).
• A total of 1,892 affordable homes were approved in October to December 2021, bringing the total number of homes approved in the 12 months to end December 2021 to 8,398. This is a decrease of 17% (1,763 homes) on the 10,161 homes approved in the previous year, with decreases in the number of approvals for social rent (by 20% or 1,576 homes) and affordable rent (by 26% or 311 homes), but an increase in approvals for affordable home ownership (by 13% or 124 homes).
• Over the same period, a total of 1,897 affordable homes were started in October to December 2021, bringing the total number of homes started in the 12 months to end December 2021 to 9,679. This is a decrease of 4% (453 homes) on the 10,132 homes started in the previous year, with decreases in the number of starts for social rent (by 10% or 783 homes) and affordable rent (by 2% or 31 homes), but an increase in the number of starts for affordable home ownership (by 42% or 361 homes).